She was 16, he was 19 when the two hit it off on a moonlight bus trip to a seaside resort in England.

Morris figured he'd better go and sit down next to her. She had friends with her. So did he.

"When we left, we just left, there was no 'I'll see you tomorrow,' " she said.

But they did.

Morris joined the Royal Air Force when war broke out in Europe in September 1939. Rene's family remained London-based until air raids began over the city.

He briefly lost track of Rene, but quickly found her again with the help of a friend.

Morris had to tell a little fib before he could make the journey from where he was stationed to the seaside town where Rene lived.

"I told my commanding officer my fiancée was up there and I'd like to see her if I can," he says.

Rene was only his girlfriend at the time.

The two married in 1942.

Rene, just 20, had to get permission from her parents. At that time, a woman had to be 21 to marry.

Nine years later, on promises of a job in the United States, the couple set out on something of an adventure that brought them to Stockton.

Still living in Blackpool, they loaded into a taxi with son Colin, 4, and daughter Julia, 9 months.

The taxi broke down on the way to Liverpool.

When they finally reached Liverpool, the ship was delayed 24 hours. The five-day journey across the Atlantic turned into an 11-day voyage due to weather. After arriving in New York, the Brockmans boarded a flight en route to San Francisco. Over Kansas, a propeller fire forced an emergency landing.

They reached San Francisco only to be greeted by a sign that said "gas war" in large letters.

"I think we're going from one war to another," Rene said. "I didn't know it was petrol."

Numerous times they asked themselves why they were even bothering. Once they arrived, that job in Stockton that Morris was hoping for didn't work out either.

During the journey, they asked themselves why they even decided to come. But once they arrived, all turned out fine.

"Truthfully, we never looked back," Rene said.

To the Brockmans, the advice for younger couples is basic, but powerful.

Respect plays a huge part in a long marriage. And love.

"Lots of love, all the way around," Rene said.

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